public interest immunity

Importation of 1 ton of cannabis resin inside specially constructed carpet hides – the defendants claimed to have been duped believing that the load was to be tobacco. First tried in 2002 when all of the defendants were convicted. A re-trial was ordered by the Court of Appeal. After a number of delays due to public interest immunity (PII) applications being made by the Crown, the second trial (Stephen Vullo first instructed) was heard in January 2006 which was aborted due to allegations of jury tampering. At the third trial in September 2006 the prosecution had to make admissions before the jury that the man named in defence statements served in the first trial had been convicted of drug smuggling on two separate occasions and had in the past duped others into doing so. Furthermore, he had ordered the murder of a co-defendant before their joint trial, who in his defence statement had claimed also to have been duped. All the defendants were acquitted.